Politics

Mali has denied allegations in a United Nations report that its national army (Fama) carried out human rights violations. A report by the country’s UN mission, Minusma, released last week highlighted alleged gross rights abuses by the Malian army between January and March this year. It attributed to Fama an …

Angolan President João Lourenço said the Democratic Republic of Congo agreed to release two Rwandan soldiers it detained last week, amid rising border tensions. Mr Lourenço, mediator in the tension, made the announcement after separate talks with his Congolese and Rwandan counterparts. His office said Félix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame …

More than 500 civilians died in attacks carried out by armed forces and Islamist groups in Mali from January to March this year, the United Nations said in a report on Monday. The report detailed a rapid unravelling of an already desperate security situation. The killings represented a 324% rise …

Cameroonian soldiers have freed a kidnapped senator Elizabeth Regina Mundi and several other hostages, in an operation in the country’s English-speaking North-West region, the BBC reported, citing the army. Senator Elizabeth Regina Mundi was kidnapped along with her driver last month in Bamenda. The separatist group, Ambazonian Defence Forces (ADF), …

Rwandan President Paul Kagame held a phone conversation with his Democratic Republic of Congo counterpart Félix Tshisekedi along with the African Union chairman Macky Sall amid cross-border tensions. “I thank Presidents Felix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame for our telephone talks yesterday and today [Monday] in the quest for a peaceful …

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema says his government has not been promoting gay rights, the Lusaka Times website reports, quoting his remarks at a church service. President Hichilema is reported to have told the congregation that his position on gay rights had not changed since his days in the opposition. He …

Sudan’s military leaders have lifted a state of emergency imposed since seizing power in a coup six months ago. The country’s ruling security and defence council said the decision was made at a meeting headed by the military leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. It said the move was aimed at …

An Egyptian criminal court has sentenced Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, a former presidential candidate, to 15 years in prison with hard labor for spreading false news and joining a terrorist group. The politician was convicted along with an interim leader of the proscribed Muslim Brotherhood group, Mahmoud Ezzat. He is …

Two Rwandan soldiers were captured in Bwisha chiefdom, Democratic Republic of Congo, about 20 km from the Rwandan border, army spokesman Gen Sylvain Ekenge said. It comes just a day after Kigali claimed the soldiers, Élysée Nkundabagenzi and Ntwari Gad were captured by pro-government rebels. According to the Congolese army …

Allies of Central African Republic President Faustin-Archange Touadera have proposed changes to the constitution that would let him keep running for office, prompting protests from the opposition, Reuters agency reported. Backers of the plan to remove presidential term limits said it was meant to bring the country into line with …